Brake pads

The OEMBrake pads on the Elise are reasonably expensive and generally not highly regarded. There are many after market products to choose from with superior performance, both in terms of stopping power and longevity, and at a more reasonable costs.

Changing brake pads is an easy and rewarding DIY project, and some people prefer the reassurance this gives. There is a Brake pad bedding in procedure which you are encouraged to following after fitting new pads.

Early S1 Elises with MMC discs MUST use MMC specific pads, if other pads are used you will ruin the discs very quickly and also risk a dangerous brake failure.

Borg&Beck

In 2000 mainstream Automotive Products was broken up and sold, a new, smaller company was created - AP Racing. Specialised in high performance brake and clutch systems for motorsports applications. This company has since been purchased by Brembo S.p.A., but is still run as a separate entity.
You can still buy Elise/Exige brake pads and clutches branded with Borg&Beck. user information required

Brembo

Brembo HP sport (HP2000)

Tested to the highest levels on the track with decelerations from 270kph (168mph) the HP2000 material is capable of operating in the most demanding conditions.
With excellent cold performance & bite, high resistance to fade, frictional stability throughout all operating conditions, reduced pad & disc wear and low dust levels, the all new HP2000 friction material offers significant advantages over its rivals. Designed to be a direct replacement for the Original Equipment (OE) pads the Brembo sport pad comes with the exact same specification as the OE pad including (where applicable): fitted wear leads, slots for separate wear leads and anti-rattle clips with the added benefit of anti-noise shims on every pad.
Combine all of this with competitive pricing and UNECE R90 approval across the full range (making them street legal) and you get a true high performance brake pad fit for the road.

(*) RC8 has a high friction index compared to other pads.
To use RC8 on front brakes of a light car like the Elise would make the car lock up quickly and could be tricky.
Currently RC8 is available as a rear pad only and is used as a relatively cheap way to shift the brake balance of the car further to the rear.

(**) RC6Es is a specific compound which is formulated for and during the time LOT was doing the Dubai and Barcelona 24hr races. The friction level is slightly below RC6 but the compound is designed to last longer at constant (high) temperature levels. This pad is not suited for road use as it will wear discs and pads very quickly when cold. Only at the operating temperature the wear factory will become very low which means you'd be able to squeeze 24hrs of racing out of one set of pads.

The RC6Es compound is exclusive to elise-shop.com

It is recommended not to mix CL Brakes pads with organic pads on the car. The advantage of sintered pads is they offer their highest friction level directly from first application of the brakes where organic pads have to be warmed up to make them reach their desired friction level.
When you mix sintered with organic on the same car the brake balance would constantly shift while warming up the organic pads.

Lotus has used two versions of the AP 4-pot calipers where one version came with thicker pads. When CL-Brakes introduced the 4-pot pads, they were designed for the early calipers which meant you'd have to grind 1mm of material away to be able to use them on the new calipers.
Nowadays, this problem is resolved.

With standard calipers they are a straight fit but you MUST fit the small square anti rattle rubber buffers directly to the caliper or suffer very annoying rattling from the n/s/f disc.

These pads give a very consistent pedal feel and show little or no variation in retardation if temperatures go up. Fading because of pad material breakdown is virtually impossible as sintered material does not break down until >1100C and by that time your brake fluid will have started to boil.

CarboTech

1521

The Carbotech™ 1521™ is our high performance street compound. The 1521™ compound is known for its release and modulation, along with unmatched rotor friendliness. 1521™ is also a very low dusting and low noise compound with an excellent initial bite. This compound's excellent linear torque production provides incredible braking force without ABS intervention. Carbotech™ 1521™ operating range starts out at ambient and goes up to 800°F (426°C+). 1521™ is suitable for ALL street cars, perfect for your tow vehicle or fleet vehicle. Carbotech™ 1521™ is NOT recommended for ANY track use.

AX6

The AX6™ is specifically engineered for Autocross applications. A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range of 50°F to 1000°F + (10°C to 537°C+). The advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Many drivers use the AX6™ for street driving as well, even though Carbotech™ doesn't recommend street driving with AX6™ due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise. AX6™ is NOT recommended as a race compound in most applications.

XP8

A high torque brake compound with a wide operating temperature range of 200°F-1250°F+ (93°C to 676°C+). Carbotech™ XP8™ is the first of our racing compounds. Good initial bite at race temperatures, high coefficient of friction, excellent modulation and release characteristics. Extremely high fade resistance and very rotor friendly. Perfect for track day use with any tire and can still be driven safely to and from the track. Carbotech™ does NOT recommended XP8™ as a daily driven street pad due to elevated levels of dust and noise. Carbotech™ XP8™ is a great compound on the front & rear of most open wheel and sports racers.
Friction Coefficient: .58 to .60
Material: Ceramic
Dust: Moderate to High
Pad Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Rotor Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Noise: High
Max Temp: 730C (1350F)

XP10

When Carbotech™ unleashed the XP10™ to the general public it immediately gathered multiple regional, divisional, and national championships. The XP10™ has a very strong initial bite with a coefficient of friction and rotor friendliness unmatched in the industry. Fade resistance is in excess of 1475°F (801°C). XP10™ still maintains the highly praised release, excellent modulation and rotor friendliness that have made all Carbotech™ compounds so successful. Carbotech™ XP10™ is not recommended as a daily-driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.
Coefficient of Friction: .63 to .65
Material: Ceramic
Dust: Moderate to High
Pad Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Rotor Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Noise: High
Max Temp: 925C (1700F)

XP12

Another highly successful XP™ series compound with an excellent initial bite, torque and fade resistance over and above the XP10™ compound. XP12™ has temperature range of 250°F to 1850°F+ (121°C to 1010°C+). The XP12™ has that excellent Carbotech™ release and modulation that has made all other Carbotech™ compounds so successful. The XP12™ is more rotor aggressive than XP10™, but compared to the competition the XP12™ is still very rotor friendly. XP12™ is NOT recommended for use as a daily driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.
Coefficient of Friction: .65 to .67
Material: Ceramic
Dust: Moderate to High
Pad Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Rotor Wear: "Longer brake pad and rotor life"
Noise: High
Max Temp: 1093C (2000F)

XP20

The latest iteration of the highly successful XP™ series of compounds. XP20™ is a step up from the highly successful XP16™ compound. With an extremely aggressive initial bite, linear torque curve and excellent fade resistance the XP20™ is another major step in progression of the highly successful XP™ series line of compounds from Carbotech™. XP20™ has a temperature range of 275°F to 2000°F+ (135°C to 1093°C+). Carbotech™ XP20™ maintains our tradition of having the outstanding release and modulation that has made all other Carbotech™ compounds so successful. Carbotech™ XP20™ is NOT recommended for use as a daily driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.

XP24

XP24™ is the pinnacle compound of the extremely successful XP™ Series of compounds engineered by Carbotech™. This compound is based on the same fundamentals that exist in all other Carbotech™ formulations. XP24™ has even more initial bite, more overall bite, and more torque along with the most linear torque curve we have ever offered. The thermal characteristics are of the highest Carbotech™ offers along with one of the highest coefficient of friction ratings offered by anyone in the braking industry. This compound is the longest wearing compound Carbotech™ offers as it was originally engineered for endurance applications at the highest pro racing levels. This revolutionary new compound has been extremely successful with open wheel, closed wheel, sprint and endurance applications. XP24™ has a temperature range of 400°F to 2000°F+ (204°C to 1093°C+). Carbotech™ XP24™ is NOT recommended for use as a daily driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise along with the necessary heat required to work properly.

RP2

The RP2™ compound was engineered for endurance racing based on our highly successful XP™ Series formulations. RP2™ has strong initial bite, a little less modulation than our XP12™, but still maintains the rotor friendliness of our XP™ series compounds. RP2™ has great fade resistance with a temperature range of 250°F to 1450°F+ (121°C to 787°C). RP2™ is as rotor friendly as our XP™ series compounds. Carbotech™ RP2™ is NOT recommended for use as a daily driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.

EBC

We fit 100's of EBC Greens & have had no reported failures or catching fire. However, with any pads it is very important to bed them in properly & we supply a hanger on every car that goes out explaining this.
Edited by Sinclaire 20/05/09

Ultimax/Blackstuff

no information found on use with Lotus. They are cheap, have the lowest temperature capacity and surely won't stand up to track use. Nominal friction coefficient 0.46

Bluestuff NDX

Orangestuff

New pad. Track use only (not street legal). Designed to slow down car and not stop it. Cold friction 0.5 ; 550C(1000F)-0.6 ; 800C(1440F)-0.63

One of the [comments] about EBC from forum from a user (Simon S) that has used a lot of brake pads:
EBC *anything* are just shite cheap crap, Greens are IMHO dangerous for anything other than light road use, Reds are not much better, and don't work well when pushed hard (as in overheat and break up), Yellows are rock hard and just do not offer the same level of retardation and pedal feel the OEM pads to when push come to shove... they also crumble when really pushed (and I had them actually catch fire!).

Endless

A huge selection of brake pads. These pads are from Sweden and are on the expensive side. Prices start at €187 front only (PC and SSY) and complete set €374. Better street compound - the one you want (SSM, MX72) cost €704. Compare that to most expensive other option: €370 Carbone Lorraine RC6 (endurance racing and proven) complete set.
Part No. Front/Rear: EIP123/EIP124

Ferodo

DS2500 - H compound

Close in performance to a CL5 or Pagid42. None of the self destruct problems of the CL and better feel from cold than the pagids and dont go wooden in feel when part worn. Good for dust and no squeal either. Common replacement pad in mainland Europe. Consistent coefficient of friction (0,42) at all temperatures.

DS3000

Race pad (not suitable for the road). Very grabby (high initial bite like it says on Ferodo website), no pedal feel, non-linear (unvarying torque output). Very High coefficient of friction (0,54) at all speeds and temperatures. There are several flavours of DS3000 pad: DS3000-R,DS3000-E,DS3000plus-M

Hawk

| Hawk Manufacturer Website
According to their catalogue they only produce Lotus brake pads/discs for Elise 2001-2011 and Exige 2010-2011 (need more info: is this pad compatible with more years?)User information required
Code reference:

note: digging through all documentation I found values inconsistent. Even if °F or °C was noted, it wildly varied. Example: HPS 100-1200°F (converted: 37.8-648.9°C) operating temperatures in one pdf and in other was 100-500° (not mentioned if it was °F or °C - I don't make assumptions when it comes to safety). I used this document and this one has different values of same brake pads in same document: http://www.hawkperformance.com/sites/default/files/downloads/HAWKBRAKEGUIDE_FINAL_2.pdf

Mintex

1144

Excellent value for fast road and occasional track. Quick to bed in and work well from cold. Good pad life and not particularly abrasive on disks, although can be a bit dusty. Some fade experienced after pro-longed track use. Squeal can be a problem when the pads are hot, but a hefty dollop of coppaslip on the back of the pads should help.

Can overheat on tracks that need heavy braking and not much opportunity for cooling (e.g. Brands Indy), leading to a "gravelly" feel after a few laps.

Mintex variations

Be aware that there has been some confusion over which pads are 1144's. The part number for Mintex Pads for the Elise are MDB1890 and MDB1891 (Front and Rear), there are then compound types of which 1144 is one. These are the variations;

1109 - Standard Road Use - Not suitable for the track - These are normally found in motorfactors or ebay for £25 per axel and sometimes mis-sold as 1144's.

1144 - Fast Road / Normal Track Use - Cira £60 per axel, will be marked C-Type on the box.

1155 - Hard Track use only - harder compound and will lose out on feel and progression

These pads can generate a lot of squeal if not used in anger on a regular basis, so while highly rated for track work, these pads are perhaps too compromised for a road car. Incompatible with a lot of discs so check compatibility before buying.

RS 15 Grey

Very high torque compound. It combines a 20% higher friction value than the RS14 with a slightly increased pad wear. Needs finesse to avoid over braking the car. Good release characteristic. Although the RS15 has a very good modulation (controllability) it might have an excessive bite for some applications, as lightweight cars or cars with boosted brakes. Applications: NASCAR, CART, F3, Touring cars, GT cars, WSC, DP, Trans Am and Rally.

Performance Friction

New brake pad available at Eliseparts shop.
PFC Manufacturer WebsiteBelow information is from manufacturer and other websites. user information required

01

01 is one of the most popular race compounds in the PFC's arsenal. Slightly higher
bite and torque for the first 2/3's of the stop than 83 compound. At the end of the
stop, 01 compound has less torque scatter for improved modulation with excellent
release and a flat torque curve. 01 compound is very easy on the discs with very
low wear, on par with 83 compounds.

08

08 compound is one of PFC newest and have gained immediate favor in Endurance Sportscar, and GT racing due to its performance in applications where smooth initial bite is a must. 08 have a slight friction rise with temperature, excellent release and modulation characteristics, and very low abraded disc wear. In addition to its considerable performance, 08 wears the longest of all PFC pads and easily matches wear of the other competitors with much higher bite.

note: Added section below because this compound is mentioned. 83 Compound is replaced by the 81 compound.

83

Recommended for high grip and severe duty applications. This is the compound that has won more championships since it’s debut than all others. It is a perenniel workhorse in NASCAR. When it comes to slowing down under the most severe conditions, 83 compound has a tremendous history of success. Higher bite than 80 compound, with a rising torque curve to handle the most extreme conditions, along with low wear. 01, 03 and 05 compounds are steadily replacing 83 compound in most applications. It is still available in many applications and remains a viable choice nearly 20 years after being released.

Porterfield

R4

Porterfield brake pad temperature friction overview

Carbon kevlar brake pads for the Elise R4 race compound. The R4 is Porterfield's motorsport pad for the Elise.

R4-1

Vintage Compound. high friction racing material has grown to be a very popular choice for drivers who need the highest possible friction with a low pad temperature. Developed and tested in the vintage racing community

R4-S

Carbon kevlar brake pads for the EliseR4-S high-performance street compound. The R4-S is Porterfield's street-friendly version of their popular race pad.

R-4E

Endurance Race. A Carbon Kevlar compound made to last a bit longer than the original R-4 compound.

Raybestos/Wilwood

While searching Lotus brake pads I came across these. Confusing is that The graph name is 'WilwoodRaybestos'. Since I don't expect anyone to buy these brake pads from Amazon this information is added for completion.

ST-41

Maintains high mu level at extremely high temperature without sacrificing good wear - both pad and rotor. Needs some heat to reach its potential. Very rotor friendly. Friction levels are just under the ST-47.

ST-43

This full race compound has proven to be one of the finest all around race compounds ever. Suitable for lightweight Formula cars up to GT racing cars in all conditions,cold or hot. Quick warmup, no rotor wear, and excellent pad life.

ST-45

Lower friction level than the ST-47 could be used as a great rear to compliment the ST-47 compound. This product is made-to-order and all sales are final at time of purchase. Made to order parts have a 3-5 business day lead time.

ST-47

Has the highest friction and torque available to date. It has been engineered for long-lasting extreme heat situations and maximum rotor life. If you are looking for the most advanced performing road race brake pad, that will simply out perform all the rest, this is it.

Textar

R90 Road pads

Pure road pads which should be similar (and possibly identical) to Lotus OEM brake pads.

Additional information: OEM are Textar pads with a Brembo/AP logo printed on them. The Textar logo can be seen engraved in the backing plate.

Part numbers:

Front: 2032306 (EAN-number: 4019722256141)

Rear: 2041003 (EAN-number: 4019722256172)

Additional Info:Compare Hawk HPS, HP+, EBC Yellowstuff

Searching the web is a minefield, especially when trying to find real world data about EBC. One hates them other loves them and not much in between. I did manage to find some data (although it is from an MX-5) that I would like the share (source).

Extra info I found from our very own Dutch 'Arno' which I found nice to share:
In case other people are looking to try out different pads on the Elise for road racing or perhaps auto-X.
As the Elise/Exige uses REAR pads from a Nissan Skyline GTR at the front and the REAR pads from a Dodge Viper at the rear I simply looked them up..
DODGE VIPER 2002-92 FRONT FMSI D592 REAR FMSI D491
NISSAN SKYLINE GTR 1995-89 FRONT FMSI D639 REAR FMSI D174
So the Elise becomes:
ELISE FRONT FMSI D174/109 REAR FMSI D491
The FMSI 'D109' might be possible at the front too. Slightly thicker pad (16.5mm vs. 14.1), but same backing plate shape.
These numbers should make it possible to cross-reference with just about any brake pad manufacturer you want.